Recorder drive means

ABSTRACT

Recorder apparatus making use of a strip of electrosensitive paper for producing a visual image in response to variations in electrical signal current, a feed means for movement of the strip driven by a motor to move the feed means at a first slow speed and an actuator connected to the feed means to drive it selectively at a second rapid speed.

D United States Patent 1111 3, 03,49

[72] Inventor Milton Alden [56] References Cited Nesdham, Mm UNITED STATES PATENTS W" 825345 2,259,139 10 1941 Oesinghaus 346/136 med 1969 3 371 834 3/1968 Willits 226/115 x I45] Patented Sept 7 I97] [73] Assignee Alden Research Foundation Primary Examiner-Richard A. Schacher Broekton, Mass. Attorney-Normans. Blodgett [54] RECORDER DRIVE MEANS ClmmSJDnwmg ABSTRACT: Recorder apparatus making use of a strip of [52] U.S.Cl 226/ 117, electrosensitive paper for producing a visual image in 226/l27, 346/ I36 response to variations in electrical signal current, a feed [51 Int. Cl B65h 17/20 means for movement of the strip driven by a motor to move [50] Field of Search 226/4, 42, the feed means at a first slow speed and an actuator connected I08, lll, 112,115-ll7, 122, l27, I78; 197/115-118; 346/136 to the feed means to drive it selectively at a second rapid speed.

PATENTED SEP 7 l97l SHEET 1 BF 2 FIG. I

MILTON ALDEN IN VE N TOR.

PATENTED SEP 7l97| 3503496 SHEET 2 BF 2 RECORDER DRIVE MEANS BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION In the design and manufacture of small graphic communications recorders, the difficulty has been experienced in the past that there is considerable problem in reading the message immediately after it has been produced on the paper. In the interest of producing a compact recorder, it is difficult to provide a large enough window to see an entire message. At the same time, the recording rate is somewhat slow and, if the user of the recorder wishes to see the complete message, he must wait until the slow speed feed rate advances far enough to cause the paper with the complete image to emerge from the recorder. At times, the operator would like to advance the paper more rapidly to cause a particular message or image entirely to clear the housing of the recorder, so that he can tear it off and examine it closely. These and other difficulties experienced with the prior art devices have'been obviated in a novel manner by the present invention.

It is, therefore, an outstanding object of the invention to provide a recorder having a selectively-operative fast advance means for the paper Another object of this invention is the provision of a recorder having a manual device for accelerating the feed of the paper to cause a selected portion to leave the housing at a much more rapid rate than is normally true during recording.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a recorder having a simple and inexpensive rapid feed device which overrides on occasion the conventional recording feed rate.

With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In general, the present invention has to do with a recorder for use with an electrosensitive strip of paper and has a housing with rollers internally mounted for the movement of the strip. A .motor is connected to the rollers to rotate them at a first slow speed rate, while an actuator is connected to the rollers to drive them selectively at a second rapid speed rate.

More specifically, the rollers are mounted in axially spaced positions on a common shaft and the feed motor is connected to one end of the shaft, while the actuator is connected to the other end of the shaft, there being an overdriving clutch located between each drive means and the shaft.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The character of the invention, however, may be best understood by reference to one of its structural forms, as illus- DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring first to FIG. 1, which best shows the general features of the invention, the recorder, indicated generally by the reference numeral 10, is shown as having a housing 11 to which is hingedly attached a cover portion 12. The recorder is of the general type shown and described in the patent of Alden No. 3,417,405. It is designed to receive an electrical communieation signal which is impressed across two electrodes to produce a visual image on a strip 13 of electrosensitive paper. This strip of paper is shown emerging from an opening between the housing 11 and a window 14 forming part of the cover portion 12. Through the transparent window 14 can be seen rollers 15 and, 16 mounted in the housing 11 and which cooperate with corresponding rollers 17 and I8 rotatably mounted in the cover portion 12 to feed the strip 13 of paper.

Extending from an aperture 19 formed in the side of the housing and extending forwardly of the cover portion 12 is a lever 21 forming part of an actuator for operating the rolls 15 and 16.

Referring now to FIG. 2, it can be seen that the rollers 15 and 16 are mounted on a shaft22. One end of the shaft is provided with a gear 23 by which it is drivingly connected to an electric motor 24 having a built-in speed reduction unit (not shown) for driving the shaft 22 at slow speed. The other end of the shaft 22 is provided with a gear 25.

The lever 21 is pivotally mounted at its inner end by means of a pivot pin 26 on a protuberance 27 on a support 28. Pivotally attached to the intermediate portion of the lever 21 by means of a pivot pin 29 is the lower end of a rack 31. At its upper end, the rack is provided with teeth 32 which engage and mesh with the teeth of the gear 25 for the operation of the shaft 22 at rapid speed. The support 28 is provided with a track 33 in which the rack 31 is slidably mounted. A coil spring 34 connects a portion of the track 33 to the intermediate portion of the lever 21, thus causing the lever 21 to be in its uppermost position normally with the rack in its upper most position limited only by a stop portion 35 of the housing 11. Lying between the gear 23 and the shaft 22 is an overdrive clutch 36 and a similar clutch 37 lies between the gear 25 and the shaft 22.

The operation of the invention will now be readily understood in view of the above description. With the motor 24 energized and the remaining parts of the recorder in operative condition, the strip 13 is fed at a first slow rate through the recorder and emerges from the housing. The recording takes place in the usual way and the strip is pulled by the clamping operation of the roller 15 on the roller 17 and the roller 16 on the roller 18. If, however, the rollers 15 and 16 are driven at this slow rate, although the rate is perfect for the recording of the visual image, nevertheless, a particular image-bearing portion of the strip 13 does not leave the housing for a considerable period. Certainly, the last line of recording of a given message or visual image will take some time to pass out of the recording electrodes, past the rear of the window 14, between the rollers and out of the housing 11. If the operator is anxious to see the complete message and also to tear it off the strip in order to examine it closely, he presses down on the lever 21. This causes the rack 31 to move downwardly, overcoming the bias of the spring 34. It slides smoothly in the track 33 and this maintains the teeth 32 in the proper engagement with the teeth of the gear 25. The gear 25 rotates the shaft 22 and the rollers 15 and 16. A single downward motion of the lever 21 will produce a substantial increment of rotation of the rollers 15 and 16 and upward movement of the strip 13. He releases the lever 21 and the rack 31 returns to its-upper position, eaus' ing no reverse motion of the rollers 15 and 16, however, because of the overdrive clutches 36 and 37. Several down and up movements of the lever 21 will produce sufficient movement of the strip 13 from the housing to permit the operator to see the visual image entirely outside of the housing. He may choose to tear off that portion of the strip to hold it in his hand rather than view it as it extends out of the recorder housing.

It can be seen, then, that by use of the present invention it is possible to feed the paper strip at a slow rate commensurate with good recording of the visual image and, at the same time, it makes it possible to move the strip at a rapid rate in order to obtain better viewing of a portion of it. Preferably, the rapid motion should be carried out selectively at a time when recording is not taking place.

It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the material spirit thereof. It is not, however, desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described, but it is desired to include all such as properly come within the scope claimed.

The invention having been thus described, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

ll. A recorder for use with a strip of paper, comprising a. a housing,

b. feed means mounted in the housing for movement of the strip, the feed means including rollers mounted in axially spaced positions on a common shaft,

c. a motor connected to one end of the shaft of the feed means to move it at a first slow speed, and

d, an actuator connected to the other end of the shaft of the feed means to drive it selectively at a second rapid speed, the actuator consisting of an operating lever having one free end extending externally of the housing and pivotally connected to the housing at the other end, a longitudinally-reciprocable rack pivotally attached to the intermediate portion of the lever and having teeth at the other end engaging a gear on the said other end of the shaft.

2. A recorder as recited in Claim 1, wherein the rack slides in a track formed in a support member that is fastened to the housing.

3. A recorder as recited in Claim 2, wherein the rack is biased into one extreme position of sliding by a spring joining it to the lever.

4. A recorder as recited in Claim 1, wherein an overrunning clutch is located between the actuator and the shaft. 

1. A recorder for use with a strip of paper, comprising a. a housing, b. feed means mounted in the housing for movement of the strip, the feed means including rollers mounted in axially spaced positions on a common shaft, c. a motor connected to one end of the shaft of the feed means to move it at a first slow speed, and d, an actuator connected to the other end of the shaft of the feed means to drive it selectively at a second rapid speed, the actuator consisting of an operating lever having one free end extending externally of the housing and pivotally connected to the housing at the other end, a longitudinally-reciprocable rack pivotally attached to the intermediate portion of the lever and having teeth at the other end engaging a gear on the said other end of the shaft.
 2. A recorder as recited in Claim 1, wherein the rack slides in a track formed in a support member that is fastened to the housing.
 3. A recorder as recited in Claim 2, wherein the rack is biased into one extreme position of sliding by a spring joining it to the lever.
 4. A recorder as recited in Claim 1, wherein an overrunning clutch is located between the actuator and the shaft. 